"He is unrighteous, so I cannot be unrighteous."
"Besides, the promise I received was not to him, but to the former emperor."
"The former emperor showed me immense kindness. My life was saved by the former emperor back then. Not only did the former emperor bestow upon me a life, but he also became sworn brothers with me and granted me great authority."
"Even if I were to lose my life, I could not betray him. As the former emperor was dying, he held my hand tightly and said, Yun Mo, my good brother, please assist the Crown Prince in becoming a wise ruler."
"In the netherworld, I will surely thank you for your great kindness. Xiao'er, you say, if I leave, can I see him? Can I still see him?"
Yun Mo spoke incessantly, while Yun Xiao remained silent, her pupils misted with tears. So, father and the former emperor had such good relations. Furthermore, he was a loyal and righteous person; how could he possibly avoid this?
Therefore, even though Shangguan Yao did not listen to him now and repeatedly tried to kill him, he could not abandon all of this...
The Nine Ring Formation, viewed from high above the city walls, showed no figures, only the black, hidden, nine connected rings.
No matter how they shifted, up, down, front, or back, the nine rings never became disconnected. Fierce winds rustled, banners waved, formations changed, creating perilous situations, and a pervasive murderous aura filled the air. The faint black, gloomy wind that swept overhead howled past.
However, from the outside, it appeared to be an extremely simple formation, designed to make the enemy underestimate it.
It was initially thought that this simple formation could be set up in just one day, as Yun Mo had an elite troop specifically trained for arranging formations.
For ordinary formations, these individuals would practice them seamlessly with only a brief explanation. But this time, it took them a full two days to perfect the formation.
On the third day, preparations were made to march out of the city for battle.
Yun Xiao had intended to poison the Xiliang army, but unfortunately, the poison she used was a type that was dispersed into the wind.
This required the wind direction to be correct. However, for two consecutive nights, the wind was unfavorable. If she had deployed the poison, the Xiliang army would not have been poisoned; instead, their own Dongqin army would have been.
Therefore, she could only wait.
The plague alert had been completely lifted, and the civilians who had been blocked outside the city were allowed to proceed. Although Fengya Pass was still desolate, it had significantly improved compared to the previous few days. People occasionally moved about on the streets.
Yun Xiao had moved back into her father's residence in Fengya Pass. It was not a large but an elegant house. She resided in the most beautiful courtyard of this residence. In front of the gate was a clear, blue, circular lake. Gentle breezes brushed the slender willows, and willow catkins fluttered.
Flowers bloomed vibrantly on the bank, and the warm sunlight streamed down, casting a golden hue everywhere.
In the afternoon, Yun Xiao moved a lounge chair to bask in the sun, covering her face with a cloth, quietly enjoying the sunbath.
Today, the Dongqin and Xiliang armies were engaged in battle, and she was waiting for news here. She wondered how it was going.
The pleasant and warm sunlight made her drowsy, her thoughts drifting. Unknowingly, she recalled the man who had stayed in her tent for the past two nights.
He simply watched her quietly, his eyes filled with deep, rippling light, a faint smile playing on his lips. Amidst the clinking of cups, he propped his chin with one hand, neither agitated nor impatient. His ink-black hair was like silk, calmly and serenely blending into the light, exuding an indescribable elegance.
At times, she felt an impulse to lift his mask and see his true appearance. However, remembering his words, her hand would forcibly withdraw.
Moreover, she knew that Xi Menyao from last time was actually in disguise, because he seemed to deeply resent the Empress Dowager and Shangguan Yao, so why would he easily show his true face?
And she, under the dim lamplight, was busy concocting medicines while secretly stealing glances at him, her large eyes sometimes bright and clear, sometimes misted over.
The man opposite her spoke with a lazy, clear voice.
"Xiao'er, what are you thinking about?"
She started, unsure how to react. In this alien world, he was the third person to call her Xiao'er. The name, uttered from his lips, carried a delicate charm, as refined as the gentle breeze and clear moon, as if the entire room was filled with fragrance.
However, once she regained her composure, she was not going to give him a pleasant expression.
"Who gave you permission to call me that?"
"My heart," this man was quite straightforward. He had maintained the same posture all night; was he not tired? xxs1
Yun Xiao thought resentfully, while vigorously pounding the medicine. She had already tried to drive him away many times, but he feigned not hearing.
She couldn't defeat him in a fight, and as for poisoning him, firstly, she might not succeed, and secondly, she hadn't even poisoned the Xiliang army yet, so how could she poison this useful person to death?
"Xiao'er,"
"Mm," she responded subconsciously.
Looking up, the man smiled like a fox, his sensual lips curving upwards, a beautiful arc drawn across them, devoid of the icy bloodlust from before.
At this moment, he was serene and rich, like a water lily blooming in the midnight hour, leisurely and languid, like a drowsy immortal. His eyes were slightly lowered, and within the deep, obscure light, lay the clarity of glazed glass and the brilliance of cold stars.
Yun Xiao glanced up at him in this state, feeling a trace of warmth. She glared at him and returned to her own work, ignoring him.
But the man continued to call her relentlessly: "Xiao'er, Xiao'er, Xiao'er..."
It seemed as if he wanted to engrave this name into flesh and blood, for eternity. Even if one day he turned to dust, turned to earth, he would not wish to forget this name.
But this time, it finally provoked Yun Xiao. She abruptly stood up, her hand raised with the medicine pestle, threateningly waving it as she spoke, "Believe it or not, I'll make it so you can't speak a single word."
"Xiao'er is like a hedgehog."
After saying this, he didn't wait for Yun Xiao's signal and instead drifted away. The white light vanished, leaving behind the lingering fragrance in the room. Yun Xiao, furious, chased him to the doorway, but he was nowhere to be seen. Outside the door, the cold moon shone brightly, and the small lake seemed covered by a layer of sheer gauze, hazy and graceful.
Yun Xiao bared her teeth and made a series of contorted faces. She thought no one was watching, but to her surprise, a magnetic, light chuckle came from the darkness.
This completely enraged her. She couldn't help but jump onto the wall, pointing and gesturing towards a certain direction: "You scoundrel, come down! What kind of hero hides in the dark."
After speaking, she felt a bit speechless. This person was not a hero at all. He was the one described by the world as bloodthirsty and demonized, a killer of multitudes. How could he be a hero?
For a long time, there was no response. Under the clear light, in the distance, at a corner of the eaves that curved like clouds, a man stood facing the wind. His black hair was like silk, fluttering elegantly in the dark night. His white robe billowed, exuding an imposing grace. His clear, aloof posture seemed detached from the mortal world, like an immortal from another realm...
Yun Xiao leaned against the corridor pillar, dazed, watching him leisurely take out a jade flute, bring it to his lips, and play a melodious, clear, and melodious tune, like the spring water flowing eastward...
Just as Yun Xiao was lost in thought, she suddenly heard panting sounds nearby, which brought her back from her reverie. She pulled away the silk kerchief from her face and looked to the side. She saw Wanwan bending over, panting. When her breathing evened out, she straightened up, her face beaming with joy.
"Master, that's wonderful! We won this battle. Over thirty thousand Xiliang soldiers who entered the formation were all annihilated. It's truly gratifying! The Xiliang army is in disarray, and they've retreated another thirty miles from the original thirty-mile stretch. Everyone is overjoyed."
Yun Xiao, however, did not show much happiness. She covered her face again with the silk kerchief and continued to bask in the sun, waving her hand: "Wanwan, bring me some refreshments. Master is hungry."
"Yes, Master."
Wanwan raised her eyebrows in confusion. Based on her understanding of her Master, she should have been very happy, but she couldn't tell. However, after walking only a few steps, she heard her Master's leisurely and pleasant singing.
"The flowers bloom too early, countless petals fall. Eyebrows are disheveled, a lifetime wasted..."
Wanwan chuckled inwardly, muttering, "Such a hidden gem." She looked up at the sky, thinking that singing was also a form of being a hidden gem, and then turned away, leaving with light footsteps.